Submarine aircraft carrier



Oct. 20, 1931 GREUMESEN 1,828,655

SUBMARINE AIRCRAFT CARRIER F iled May 13, 19:50 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mil/ INVENTOR T fi'gg lma're an z'eee 7:

ATTORNEY 'WITNESS Pamaajoa 193i 1,323, 55

,EHILNIGKG OI SIOUX CITY, IOWA s amcau'a' Application 11011111113, mac. Serial names.

This invention relates to submarine carriers for aircraft.

A primary object of the invention is to construct a boat of this character which 'will U offer a minimum resistance while travellin under water and thereby increase its speed capacity.

Another object is to provide a carrier of this character having an air tight compartment 1 for plan'esto be transported which may be quickly opened to receive'or release-a lane and which is equipped with means to acilitatethe entrance and exit of the planes.

In carrying out these objects, the invention is susceptible of a wide range of modification -without departing from the spirit or. sacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed invention; there being shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes a preferred and practical form, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a submarine carrier constructed in accordance with this invention; i

Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts broken out and in section to show the interior construction; v I Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig.1 is anenlarged detail sectional view showing the door of the plane compartment raised with a plane entering; and

Fig. is a detail perspective view of the door detached.

The submarine. indicated as a whole at 1 is shaped so as to substantially represent a whale in appearance having a downwardly and forwardly inclined front deck with sides slanting or tapering towards the front so that in its passage through the water it will offer a minimum amount of resistance.

A plane compartment or room 2 extends from a point near the transverse center of the boat towards the front. increasing a depth towards the front, and extends to a point about fifty per cent below the top of the deck or about one-half the heightof the front portion of the boat as is shown in Fig. 2.' This compartment 2 has an upwardly and forwardly inclined top or ceiling 3 and a downwardly and forwardly inclined floor or ramp 4 arran transversely of which latter is a series 0 rollers 5 on which the planes travel 1n their entrance and exit to and from the -compartment,'and which greatly facilitate such travel. The rear end or entrance to the 58 compartment 2 has the floor.4 thereof mergmg 1nto the top deck of the boat as shown 1n r Fig. 2 and the entrance to this compartment 1s by way of a hinged door 6 made snfliciently heavy and strain resisting to effectively close the compartment when the door is shut and avoid all possibility of the entrance of water.- Any suitable fastening means may be provided to hold this door in closed position, such means may be operable from either the out- 95 side or inside or both. This door or hatch 6 is designed to be opened by means of compressed air operated plungers 7, two of which are shown at opposite sides of the door opening near the rear end of the compartment, or 76 entrance thereof. .These plungers 7 are slidably mounted in cylinders 8'to which is sup plied compressed air from a suitable air compressor 10 which is preferably motor driven as shown. Rollers or wheels 9 are carried by the upper ends of the plungers 7 and are designed to engage the lower or inner face of the hatch 6 to facilitate the opening thereof with a minimum amount of power. The control 7 room for the boat is located in the front portion ofthe vessel as shown at 11 and the entrance is atthe extreme top as shown at 12, a periscope being indicated at 13. It is of course understood that the plane compartment may be of any desired size being preferably made as large as possible to accommodate as many planes as possible it beingpreferably of a size to contain five planes at least which are made with detachable wings to provide economy in space. These planes one of which is shown at 14 in Fig. 4 backing out of the'compartment 2 and which is ready for flying except that the wings have not yet been attached. Of course these planes may be of any desired construction and they are not 5 described in detail since this forms no part of the invention. -They are represented as 7 being sea planes as these of course would be most desirable for this type of air craft.- i

. The hatch fiwhich is shown hingedtoopen 9 g upwardly and to be raised by the compressed air operated plungers-7 will, when the compressed air in the cylinders 8 is released, dro

down b gravity and the Weight thereof wi 1 force t e plungers back into the cylinders ready for the next operation.

When a plane is to be received into or let out of the compartment 2 the vessel 1 is brought up to t e surface of the water as shown in the drawings and the air compressor is operated to force the air up into the cylinders 8 and raise the plungers 7 thereby elevating the hatch 6 to the position to permit the plane to enter or leave the compartment 2. It is of course understood that these planes operate under their own power and in leaving or entering the compartment they pass over the rear deck 15 and when leaving the boat pass from said deck into the water where they can rise in the usual manner of seaplanes.

When the submarine is desired to be kept out of sight it is submerged in the usual way and travels rapidly along under the surface of the water the speed being greatly facilitated owing to its peculiar tapered construction.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, proportion and -minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed. I I

I claim:

1. An aircraft carrier comprising a submarine having a plane carrying chamber provided with an entrance opening in the top equipped with a door, and a plunger for opening saiddoor, and a ramp forming thefioor of said chamber and extending through said opening.

2. An aircraft carrier comprising a submarine having a plane carrying chamber provided with an entrance provided with a deck opening in' the top equipped with a door, means for opening said door, and a downwardly and forwardly inclined ramp extending through the rear end of said open ing and merging into said deck.

3. An aircraft carrier comprising a submarine having a plane carrying chamber in its upper portion, said chamber having a downwardly and forwardly inclined floor, an

- upwardly opening door in the top of the rear I portion of said chamber, and a vertically movable plunger for engaging and raising saiddoor.

4. An aircraft carrier comprising a submarine having a plane carrying chamber in its upper portion, said chamber having a downwardly and forwardly inclined floor, an upwardly opening door in the top of the inclined floor, an upwar rear portion of said chamber, and a vertically movable plunger for engaging and raising said door, the floor of said chamber being provided with rollers to facilitate the entrance and exit of the plane.

5. An aircraft carrier comprising a submarine having a plane carrying chamber in its upper portion, said chamber having an upwardly and forwardly inclined top or ceiling and a downwardl and forwardly (lly swinging door in said ceiling to permit the entrance and exit of the plane, and power controlled means for openin said door.

6. An aircraft carrier comprising a submarine having a plane carrying chamber in its upper portion, said chamber having an upwardly and forwardly inclined top or 

